With A Heavy Hand
by suzie2b
Summary: A little action. A little drama. The Rat Patrol is captured after gathering information about a German installation.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **With A Heavy Hand**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **The Rat Patrol was getting ready to head back to base at Ras Tanura after a week of watching the comings and goings at a German installation headed by a Major Neumann. High Command wanted information after a heavy armored column was spotted heading in that direction.**

 **After much surveillance and sneaking around, they discovered that the heavy armor was going on to Sohar after a brief stay to resupply at the installation. Sohar was nearly two hundred kilometers away. The Germans had taken the town due to its strategic location to allied held Al-Ahwaz and forced most of the inhabitants out several months earlier. It had recently been taken over by allied forces and the Germans wanted it back. After relaying the information to Captain Boggs, reinforcements would be sent to defend Sohar and Sergeant Troy and his team were recalled to base.**

 **However, a German scouting column spotted the two jeeps leaving the area and Hauptmann Werner ordered his men to give chase. The fight was hard and the Rat Patrol took out half the German column before a shell from a mortar flipped Troy and Hitch out of their jeep and minutes later Moffitt and Tully were stopped cold after machine gun fire hit their jeep's engine.**

 **#####################**

 **Hauptmann Werner was quite proud of himself when he presented the much wanted Rat Patrol to Major Neumann. "Major Neumann, ich freue mich, Ihnen die berühmt-berüchtigten Rat Patrol."**

 **Major Neumann smiled as he turned from the window of his office to look at the four captives. He nodded, thanked the captain, and excused him. "Gute Arbeit, Hauptmann, vielen Dank. Sie können jederzeit zu Ihren Aufgaben."**

 **Hauptmann Werner saluted and left, leaving two of the four guards in the office.**

 **When the door closed, the major said, "Good afternoon, gentlemen. So you are the infamous Rat Patrol that has been harrying the German forces." He looked each of them up and down, taking in their rather scruffy appearance. "I must admit, you are not what I expected."**

 **Troy said, "Sorry about that, major. A shower and a hot meal would probably fix that."**

" **You are a comedian, no? Very funny. Now I would like to know why you are here."**

" **We were brought here by your captain, sir."**

 **Major Neumann's smile was beginning to fade. "Again with the joking. Seriously, what are you and your men doing in this area?"**

" **Sam Troy, Sergeant, 19946636. Name, rank, and serial number will be the only answer you'll get from any of us."**

" **I am afraid, sergeant, that will not be enough." Neumann turned to one of the guards. "Um in den Stuhl und Pranger." The guard left and the major again looked at Troy. "Before I am finished one of you will tell me what I want to know."**

 **Moffitt knew what the major had asked the guard to get, but said nothing until the chair with its attached pillory was brought in. "You're going to torture us?"**

 **Major Neumann smiled again. "Torture? Nooo. Just a bit of persuasion, nothing more." He pointed to Tully. "Come and take a seat, private." Tully looked at Troy with a "why is it always me" look, but didn't move. "Bringen Sie ihn."**

 **A guard grabbed Tully by the arm and pushed him over to the chair and forced him to sit. He was strapped to the back of the chair and the pillory that was brought down in front of him was secured. The guard lifted the hinged top board and said, "Legen Sie Ihre Hände auf, Handflächen nach oben."**

 **Tully looked at Moffitt and Major Neumann translated, "Put your wrists in the slots with your palms up, please."**

 **Tully hesitated, but knew he had no choice. He did as he was told and the top of the pillory was lowered and secured tightly in place. Tully tried to turn his wrists, but couldn't.**

 **Major Neumann then went to a side table where a long basin sat. "This form of 'persuasion' has been used quite effectively for centuries throughout North Africa and Southeast Asia." He reached into the basin and came out with a thin, two foot long cane. "Although I prefer the method the English use as punishment for naughty school children, which I am sure you know is using a cane like this on the child's palm and leaves nothing more than a stinging welt. I have combined this with the other form of caning, making it quit painful but less likely to be lethal." The major picked up a towel and wiped water from the cane as well as his hand. "This rattan cane has been soaking in a salt water solution for some time now." He walked back over to where Tully was sitting and brought the cane down hard on the private's palms. Tully jumped and gave a surprised yelp as he balled his hands into fists. Then the burning pain set in and the major said, "That was for not obeying me when I told you to sit."**

 **Tully gritted his teeth and stared up at the major, but said nothing. Troy took a step forward and was pushed back by a guard.**

 **Major Neumann said, "Answer my questions and I will go no further."**

 **Tully looked at Troy and shook his head. "Don't say anything, sarge."**

 **The cane came down again, harder his time across the fingers of his closed fists. The major said, "Open your hands, private."**

 **Tully swallowed uneasily, but did as he was told. Every time Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch refused to talk, the cane struck, leaving raised, red welts on Tully's palms and fingers. With each strike Tully's friends winced. By the time Major Neumann gave up out of frustration, Tully's hands were bloody and several fingers were broken. All he could do was sit there and take it, breathing through gritted teeth.**

 **Finally, the major turned to his guards and said, "Erhalten Sie hier! Sperren Sie!"**

 **A guard went to Tully to let him out of the pillory. The strap around his chest was removed. As Tully stood up, his vision blurred and he nearly passed out. Moffitt and Hitch rushed forward to support him.**

 **Major Neumann said, "You will be locked up. The questioning will continue later."**

 **Moffitt turned and said angrily, "At least give us some medical supplies for his hands!"**

" **Stellen Sie sicher, dass Sie alles haben, was Sie brauchen."**

 **Troy and Moffitt were locked in one room, Hitch and Tully in the one across the hall.**

 **Tully sat down on one of the two bunks. He was shaking with pain and shock. There wasn't even a blanket to put around him. Hitch said, "Moffitt said they're going to bring something so we can get you cleaned up."**

 **After some time, a medical kit, a basin, and water was brought in. Hitch moved a low stool over in front of Tully and put the basin on it. He poured some water in it. Hitch knelt down and looked at his friend's glazed eyes. As gently as possible he took Tully's wrists and lowered his hands, palms down into the water. Tully hissed with pain and Hitch said quietly, "I know … but I've got to get your hands cleaned up before I can bandage them."**

 **Hitch carefully cleaned the bloody welts. Then he set the two broken fingers on Tully's left hand and the one on his right. Using the matchsticks from Tully's shirt pocket, Hitch fashioned splints for the broken fingers and bandaged Tully's hands from fingertips to wrists with just his thumbs exposed. The injured private remained silent throughout the process. Then Hitch found a box in the kit that contained white tablets.**

 **Troy quietly spoke through the barred opening in the door, "Hitch, how's Tully doing?"**

 **Hitch went to the opening in the door. "I got him cleaned up and bandaged. He's got three broken fingers and he's a bit shocky. He hasn't said a word."**

 **Troy muttered, "Damn it."**

" **Hey, Moffitt." When the sergeant appeared Hitch held the box up and asked, "How do you say 'aspirin' in German?"**

" **It would most likely be 'Schmerzmittel'." Moffitt spelled it out.**

 **Hitch nodded. "Great. That's what it says on this box of pills."**

" **Give him two tablets and let him rest."**

" **Right."**

 **Troy said, "Hang in there. We'll figure a way out."**

 **Hitch smiled as he looked at the sergeant. "We always do."**

 **#####################**

 **When Tully opened his eyes he was looking up at Hitch, who said, "Good, you're awake. How're you feeling?"**

 **Hitch sat down on the stool next to the bunk as Tully said, "A little better than before." He looked at his bandaged hands. "Thanks. How long was I out?"**

" **A couple hours. After what you went through, you needed it."**

 **Tully slowly sat up while Hitch steadied him. "Is there any water?"**

 **Hitch reached down for the canteen the guard had left. He took the cap off and handed it over. "Here ya go."**

 **Tully held it with both hands as he took a long drink. "Where are Moffitt and Troy?"**

" **Across the hall."**

 **They heard a quiet voice call, "Hitch!" The private went to the door and looked out. Troy was staring back. "Is Tully awake?"**

 **Tully looked out. "I'm here, sarge."**

" **How's the hands?"**

" **They sting some."**

 **Troy nodded. "We're just about ready to get out of here. You up for it?"**

 **Tully smiled slightly. "Whenever you are, sarge."**

 **Somehow Troy and Moffitt had managed to disassemble one of the bunks in their cell. As the privates watched, Moffitt stuck a length of the wire made from the bunk's springs out of the little opening and reached for the door's latch.**

 **Hitch said in a quiet voice, "It's not quite long enough."**

 **Moffitt disappeared for a couple of minutes. When he tried again after adding more wire, Hitch guided it. "A little to the right … a little more … there. Now bring it up slowly."**

 **The hook fashioned on the wire's end caught the latch and brought it up until the door could be opened. Troy stuck his head out and looked up and down the empty hallway. Seeing no one he, followed by Moffitt, crossed the distance to the other cell in a few steps.**

 **Troy pulled the door open and looked at the two privates. He whispered, "Okay, let's get outta here."**

 **The four of them went to the door at the end of the hall and Troy looked through the opening. There was a desk and chair across the room and a guard playing solitaire. Troy silently signaled his men to back up, and then he knocked on the door.**

 **At the sound of knocking, the guard looked curiously at the door. There was another knock and he stood up and took his rifle as he moved to the door. The guard peered through the opening and saw Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully standing back a few yards from the door. Hitch gave a cocky grin and waved.**

 **The guard gasped, "Wie konnte das passieren?" He pulled open the door and was struck in the face by Troy's fist. The guard went down hard and didn't move.**

 **Troy grabbed the rifle and signaled his men to follow. Moffitt made sure Tully stayed between him and Hitch as he whispered, "Do you remember the way?"**

 **Troy nodded. "Yeah, but we're not going out that way."**

" **What's your plan?"**

 **As they got to the exit, Troy stopped and turned to look at his men. "We're on the second floor. We'll find a way out onto the roof and go down from there."**

 **Moffitt shook his head. "But Tully…"**

 **Tully interrupted, "I'll be fine, sarge. Don't worry about me."**

 **Moffitt looked doubtful, but Troy nodded and led them out into an empty hallway lined with doors. Voices could be heard through the first door they came to. At the second they could hear typing. The third was silent and Moffitt read the sign of the door and whispered, "Storage room."**

 **Troy opened the door, hoping to see a window, and was in luck. They went inside and closed the door. Hitch grabbed a chair and quietly jammed it under the doorknob. Going to the window Troy saw the roof over a portion of the first floor. He opened the window and climbed out. Moffitt followed and he and Hitch helped Tully.**

 **They followed the roofline to the back of the building. Troy went to the edge and looked down into an empty alleyway. He had hoped for a ladder, but saw none. However, there was a drainpipe.**

 **The climb down was difficult for all of them, but it was especially painful for Tully and by the time they reached the ground blood was beginning to stain the bandages on his hands.**

 **Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully moved quickly to the end of the alley that led to the front of the building. They suddenly heard a door bang open, followed by quickly moving footsteps as Hauptmann Werner ordered, "Lüfter aus! Überall suchen! Sie müssen gefunden werden!"**

 **Moffitt whispered, "They know we've escaped."**

 **Troy nodded. "We need to get vehicle."**

 **They went back through to the other end of the alley. A halftrack pulled up next to headquarters and stopped. Two of the men in it left and went into the building, leaving the driving waiting with the engine running.**

 **Knowing Tully wouldn't be able to handle a gun, Troy turned to the private and asked, "Do you think you can drive?" Tully nodded, stoically ignoring the pain in his hands. "All right, I'll take care of the driver. Hitch, give me your belt."**

 **Troy handed the rifle to Hitch and silently climbed into the back of the halftrack. When Tully saw him standing behind the driver, he looked into the cab from the passenger side and said, "Hi."**

 **Troy wrapped the belt around the driver's neck and pulled until the man stopped struggling. Troy opened the door and pushed him out onto the street as Tully climbed across the seat to get behind the wheel. Moffitt and Hitch quickly joined Troy in the back. As Tully put the halftrack in gear and started to pull away, two German soldiers walked out of the alley they'd been hiding in.**

 **One yelled as they both raised their rifles, "Halt! Das Fahrzeug anhalten!"**

 **Of course Tully didn't stop and Hitch used the rifle to take out one of them as bullets ricocheted off the halftrack. Troy swung the mounted machine gun around and sprayed the street with bullets, killing the other.**

 **The gunfire brought Germans from everywhere. Moffitt found a canvas bag full of grenades the started lobbing them at any handy target he found, whether it was man, building, or machine. By the time the Germans could give chase, Tully had crashed through the gates and run over the guard as he fired at them.**

 **The chase was short and soon Major Neumann's installation was far out of sight. When they were sure they were no longer being followed Moffitt slid into the passenger seat and looked at Tully. He was pale and noticeably in pain. Moffitt put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Tully, stop." The private looked over at the sergeant and Moffitt nodded.**

 **Tully let the halftrack roll to a stop and his hands fell from the steering wheel. Hitch helped Moffitt get Tully into the back where they could change his bandages using the halftrack's medical kit. Troy took over the driving.**

 **While they were rewrapping Tully's hands, he said, "I need a matchstick."**

 **Hitch said, "I had to use 'em all on your broken fingers."**

 **Tully looked and saw his matchsticks tied to his fingers. All he could do was sigh and put his head back against the side of the halftrack.**

 **#####################**

 **The day after getting Tully to the hospital at Ras Tanura, Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch stopped by to see how he was doing. They found Charley there feeding him lunch.**

 **Moffitt smiled. "Well, this is quite a sight."**

 **Charley looked up with a grin. "Hi, guys."**

 **Troy chuckled. "How's it going, Tully?"**

 **Tully swallowed the bite of hotdog and said, "It's goin', sarge. Did Captain Boggs get the reinforcements to Sohar in time?"**

" **Yep. That German column didn't know what hit 'em."**

 **Charley gave Tully a bite of macaroni and cheese as Hitch asked, "So, how long are they keeping you here?"**

 **Since Tully was chewing Charley replied, "If there's no sign of infection, he can come home tomorrow. They've been giving him penicillin, so I don't think there's going to be a problem."**

 **Moffitt said, "It's a shame the Germans didn't have any alcohol in that med kit. I could have cleaned his hands up better before we got here."**

 **At the thought of Moffitt pouring alcohol and his hands Tully looked at him in horror and nearly choked as he tried to swallow. "You wouldn't really have poured that on my hands, would you?"**

 **Moffitt smiled. "I assure you I would have dabbed."**

 **Tully wasn't sure he believed the sergeant or not as he took the last bite of his hotdog and kissed Charley's fingers. She wiped a smudge of catsup off the corner of Tully's mouth and said, "I must say, it's going to interesting until you can use your hands again. I'm going to have to help you eat, get dressed, get undressed, shower…"**

 **Tully interrupted her with a kiss, then grinned and said, "It sounds like fun to me."**


End file.
